We had a visit today from Annette (Full time Ranger) and Kwai (Part time Ranger) from Mt. Rothwell Conservation Reserve. Kwai also works at the Werribbee Open Range Zoo (as Annette did prior to taking on the full time position at Mt. Rothwell earlier this year).
Kwai suggested that we investigate what local native freshwater fish already exist in our water course, a tributiary of Watsons Creek, with the intention of releasing endangered fishes.
I've produced a field guide with descriptions and diagrams to aid recognition.
According to the Field Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Australia (2002), the following fish may occur within our region. I have placed an asterix besides those that the Water Victoria Environmental Handbook suggested may occur in the Bunyip Basin (our water catchment). I have also highlighted in bold those that Water Victoria believed existed in the Watson Creek catchment when they prepared their document in 1989.
Pouched Lamprey Geotria australis* Inderterminate Short-headed Lamprey Mordacia mordax* Common Short-finned Eel Anguilla australis* Common Marbled Eel Anguilla reinhardtii* Common Australian Grayling Prototroctes maraena* Vulnerable Australian Smelt Retropinna semoni* Common Tasmanian Mudfish Galaxias cleaveri Common Galaxias or Jollytail Galaxias maculates* Common Mountain Galaxias Galaxias olidus* Common Trout Minnow or Spotted Galaxias Galaxias truttaceus* (Rare and restricted) Dwarf or Eastern Little Galaxias Galaxias pusilla* Requires monitoring Small-mouthed Hardyhead Atherinosoma microstoma River Blackfish Gadopsis marmoratus* Requires monitoring Southern Pygmy Perch Nannoperca australis* Common Yarra Pygmy Perch Nannoperca obscura Common Congolli or Tupong Psuedaphritis urvillii* Common Striped Gudgeon Gobiomorphus australis Flathead Gudgeon Philypnodon grandiceps Dwarf Flathead Gudgeon Philypnodon sp.
Introduced Fish/Pests English Perch Perca fluviatilis* Goldfish Carassius auratus* Mosquito Fish Gambusia affinis* Roach Rutilus rutilus Carp Cyprinus carpio Brown Trout Salmo trutta Rainbow Trout S. gaird
Trapping through the watercourse and dams will allow us to identify which of these possible species exist at Woodleigh School. Discussion of the extent of pest species and their control and the preservation of local species particularly those that are rare, restricted or vulnerable.
References Water Victoria (1989) An Environmental Handbook, Department of Water Resources Victoria, Melbourne Allen, G.R, Midgley, A.H, & Allen, M (2002) Field Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Australia, CSIRO, Collingwood
Kwai suggested that we investigate what local native freshwater fish already exist in our water course, a tributiary of Watsons Creek, with the intention of releasing endangered fishes.
I've produced a field guide with descriptions and diagrams to aid recognition.
Australian Native Freshwater Fishes
According to the Field Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Australia (2002), the following fish may occur within our region. I have placed an asterix besides those that the Water Victoria Environmental Handbook suggested may occur in the Bunyip Basin (our water catchment). I have also highlighted in bold those that Water Victoria believed existed in the Watson Creek catchment when they prepared their document in 1989.
Pouched Lamprey Geotria australis* Inderterminate
Short-headed Lamprey Mordacia mordax* Common
Short-finned Eel Anguilla australis* Common
Marbled Eel Anguilla reinhardtii* Common
Australian Grayling Prototroctes maraena* Vulnerable
Australian Smelt Retropinna semoni* Common
Tasmanian Mudfish Galaxias cleaveri
Common Galaxias or Jollytail Galaxias maculates* Common
Mountain Galaxias Galaxias olidus* Common
Trout Minnow or Spotted Galaxias Galaxias truttaceus* (Rare and restricted)
Dwarf or Eastern Little Galaxias Galaxias pusilla* Requires monitoring
Small-mouthed Hardyhead Atherinosoma microstoma
River Blackfish Gadopsis marmoratus* Requires monitoring
Southern Pygmy Perch Nannoperca australis* Common
Yarra Pygmy Perch Nannoperca obscura Common
Congolli or Tupong Psuedaphritis urvillii* Common
Striped Gudgeon Gobiomorphus australis
Flathead Gudgeon Philypnodon grandiceps
Dwarf Flathead Gudgeon Philypnodon sp.
Introduced Fish/Pests
English Perch Perca fluviatilis*
Goldfish Carassius auratus*
Mosquito Fish Gambusia affinis*
Roach Rutilus rutilus
Carp Cyprinus carpio
Brown Trout Salmo trutta
Rainbow Trout S. gaird
Trapping through the watercourse and dams will allow us to identify which of these possible species exist at Woodleigh School. Discussion of the extent of pest species and their control and the preservation of local species particularly those that are rare, restricted or vulnerable.
References
Water Victoria (1989) An Environmental Handbook, Department of Water Resources Victoria, Melbourne
Allen, G.R, Midgley, A.H, & Allen, M (2002) Field Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Australia, CSIRO, Collingwood